“Many rural residents face structural, economic, and physical barriers to health care while rural health care providers seek strategies and opportunities to increase access and services available to their communities,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Robert R. Neall. “With 25 percent of Marylanders living in rural communities, it is more important than ever to reduce barriers, remove gaps, and increase access to general practitioners, specialists, behavioral health, and oral health providers, as well as urgent care and emergency facilities.”

“The 2018 Maryland Rural Health Plan is a collaborative document that synthesizes the needs of Maryland’s most vulnerable populations. MRHA looks forward to taking the recommendations and turning them into real projects to improve Maryland’s rural health landscape,” said Lara Wilson, Executive Director of MRHA. “The plan documents needs and serves as a roadmap to creating healthier rural communities. MRHA will now work with statewide partners to begin actualizing changes based on the outlined findings.”

The 2018 Maryland Rural Health Plan was made possible through a collaboration between MRHA, the Maryland Department of Health, the Rural Maryland Council, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The plan can be viewed and downloaded from the MRHA website: http://www.mdruralhealth.org/maryland-rural-health-plan/.

The Maryland Rural Health Association (MRHA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and advocate for the optimal health of rural communities and their residents. MRHA is a member organization comprised of local health departments, hospitals, community health centers, area health education centers, health professionals, and community members in rural areas throughout Maryland. To learn more, visit www.mdruralhealth.org.